The bite of cold steel against her throat jerked her out of slumber. Bailey opened her eyes to see the dim outline of a figure standing over her in the darkness.
‘I could have shanked you while you slept,’ hissed Poppy.
She sniffed back a sob and pressed the sharp edge of the knife harder into Bailey’s flesh.
Bailey swallowed with difficulty and kept very, very still.
‘Now let’s not do anything silly,’ she whispered.
‘You betrayed me. You lied to me. You’re nothing but a worthless fucking cop!’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Don’t lie to me!’ Poppy pushed the blade in harder, the sharp, filed edge starting to cut into Bailey’s neck. ‘I said if you were lying to me, I would kill you. And I meant it.’
A tear fell from Poppy’s cheek onto Bailey’s bare shoulder.
Bailey tried to work out how Poppy had got into her locked cell in the middle of the night. She tried to work out how Poppy knew she was a cop. And that was when she realised just how high the corruption went.
‘The Governor,’ she gasped.
Poppy sniffed angrily. ‘What are you talking about?’
Bailey realised now that she had a choice to make. She could either continue to deny that she was a police officer, or she could break cover for the second time in as many days and try to explain everything. Either choice could prove to be fatal. She swallowed, feeling the bite of the blade at her throat, and took the plunge.
‘I’m here for a reason,’ she said in a slow and measured tone. ‘A very good reason.’
‘So you are a cop!’ Poppy’s voice went up an octave.
‘I was sent in to investigate the drugs, but now I’m here to stop the murders.’
‘I vouched for you. I saved your life.’ Another hot tear fell onto Bailey’s shoulder. ‘I can’t believe I trusted you and you turn out to be a pig after all.’
‘The Governor,’ whispered Bailey. ‘He’s the only person who knew I was a police officer. And that’s only because I told him yesterday. He’s in on the drugs racket. He must have told Terry, because it was Terry who let you in here, right? He’s waiting outside right now, isn’t he?’
Poppy said nothing, breathing hard, biting the tears back.
‘The Governor needs to silence me,’ said Bailey. ‘And he’s using you to do his dirty work.’
‘Everything you told me… your crime… being an accountant… that was all just lies. You used me to get information. I feel so stupid.’
‘I didn’t lie to you about everything.’
‘The plans we made. They meant nothing to you.’
‘I was an accountant, before I joined the police. And when I said I’d help you, I meant it.’
‘I hate you. I should kill you now.’
‘So why don’t you?’
Bailey could feel the vibrations of Poppy’s hand shaking with emotion as she held the shank to her neck.
‘You can’t do it, can you?’ whispered Bailey. ‘I know you, Poppy. You’re not some cold ruthless killer. It’s not what you are. You’re different from them. Just like you told me.’
Poppy sniffed back a sob.
‘Help me,’ said Bailey. ‘I need your help. Right now you’re the only person who can help me. I know who the killer is and I can stop him. I tried to tell the Governor but it was no good. But now I’ve got a chance, if you help me. If I don’t stop him, then more of us will die.’
‘Us? You’re not one of us. And why do you care about us anyway?’
‘Because it’s my job. And he killed my friend and I want to catch him.’
‘Your friend?’
‘Her name was Alice. Alice Simms. That was her real name. She was the first one who was killed. In the laundry. Back in May. She was a policewoman too.’
Poppy was silent for a few moments. Another tear fell onto Bailey’s shoulder.
‘They’ll kill me if I don’t kill you,’ she whispered.
‘Come with me,’ said Bailey. ‘I’ll take you out of here. Away from them. I can protect you. And I’ll help you, like I said I would. I’ll help you with your shop. I promise.’
‘Promises!’ spat Poppy. ‘A cop’s promises don’t mean anything!’
Bailey reached up ever so gently, ever so slowly, and ran her fingers lightly along the smooth surface of Poppy’s arm. She could feel the muscles quivering with tension as Poppy held the knife against her throat.
‘There’s a special connection between us, Poppy,’ she said, softly stroking Poppy’s arm. ‘I knew it from the first time I met you. I knew it when I kissed you. And I know it now. And you know it too.’
Poppy’s large eyes stared down at her, the green irises black in the dimness of the unlit cell. Bailey felt the pressure of the knife against her neck begin to falter.
‘There’s a way out of here,’ said Bailey.
‘There’s no way out of here,’ replied Poppy in a small voice. ‘Not for me. Not for you.’
‘There’s a disused well in the basement. That’s how the killer’s getting into the prison. It’s how Terry’s bringing the drugs in. It’s also how we can get out of here. Right now. Tonight. Come with me. My job here is done. I know all that I need to know. I’ll explain everything to you once we’re out of here.’
Poppy was silent. Breathing hard. The pressure of the shank gradually eased off. After a while she spoke.
‘A disused well?’
‘I need to get out through the well and make contact with my boss. All we need to do is get down to the laundry because that’s where it is.’
‘You’ll help me with my shop?’
‘I promise. I told you I would and I meant it.’